RentBoy

Rent boy is British slang dating to the mid twentieth century for a young man who sells sex, often to male clients. The name carried into the digital era through Rentboy.com, launched in 1997, which became one of the largest online spaces for advertising male escorts and served mostly gay and bisexual men. In August 2015 federal agents raided its Manhattan offices and arrested its CEO and several staff, charging them under the Travel Act for promoting prostitution. The takedown drew protests from LGBTQ+ and sex worker rights groups, who argued it stripped away a tool that helped workers screen clients and stay safer. The case remains a reference point in debates over decriminalizing sex work.